With my love of everything cooking, baking, recipes and cookbooks you would probably think I have a number of favorite 'cooking shows' on television that I absolutely *must* watch. If you thought so however, you would be wrong.
It just so happens that I quit watching tv a decade ago. That makes me sound awfully old doesn't it!? LOL. I'm only 38 but yes, it's true; I don't watch tv. I quit watching 10 years ago this month actually. Turned it off and haven't missed it since. That doesn't mean I live in a cave though! We still have tv's in our home (I'm not 'anti' television... I don't have any political stances to take against it... I just don't personally watch it). But the internet keeps me in touch with anything and anyone I want to know about.
I saw a clip of Paula Deen cooking once and I just liked her immediately. She was making (something?) and she licked her fingers. She said that's what God gave us hands for and to use them! She then licked her fingers, washed them, dried them and kept cooking. I decided right then and there she was about the *only* tv cooking star that measured up to my own standards. Why? She was real. The rest are all scripted and so incredibly fake with their conversations and their set-help does all the real work. I just like Paula. And this is one of her recipes.
6 ounces cream cheese, softened
1 teaspoon almond extract
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup slivered almonds, chopped fine
2 (8-ounce) cans refrigerated crescent dinner rolls
1 egg white
1 teaspoon water
Glaze:
1/2 cup confectioners' sugar
4 teaspoons milk
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
In a small bowl, beat the cream cheese, almond extract, and sugar until fluffy. Fold half of the chopped almonds into the cream cheese mixture. Separate 1 can of dough and assemble into 4 rectangles. Firmly press the perforations to seal. Press or roll each piece of dough to form a 7 by 4-inch rectangle, and spread each with about 2 tablespoons of the cream cheese filling to within 1/4-inch of the edges. Starting at the short end, roll each rectangle tightly into a cylinder. Repeat with the other can of dough and remaining filling.
Place on a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and chill until firm, about 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F while the rolls are chilling.
Remove from the refrigerator and cut each roll into 4 slices. Place 1/2-inch apart on un-greased baking sheets. In a small bowl, combine the egg white with 1 teaspoon water. Brush over the swirls. Sprinkle with the remaining chopped almonds. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until light brown.
While the swirls are baking, combine the glaze ingredients in a small bowl. Cool the swirls for 3 minutes on wire racks placed over a sheet of waxed paper. Drizzle the icing over the warm swirls.